The predicament of the Sant-Sipahi (Saint-Soldier): Sanctioned violence and martyrdom in the Sikh tradition

Hegarty, James M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4769-2449 2023. The predicament of the Sant-Sipahi (Saint-Soldier): Sanctioned violence and martyrdom in the Sikh tradition. Power, M. and Paynter, H., eds. Violence and Peace in Sacred Texts, Cham: Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 209-235. (10.1007/978-3-031-17804-7_11)

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Abstract

This chapter explores Sikh understandings of violence through the concept of martyrdom and religiously sanctioned violence. Emphasis is placed on the role of self-sacrifice and selfless action in the development of Sikh understandings of human action and consequently of martyrdom and sanctioned violence. Moving from canonical and authoritative texts from the earliest period of Sikh tradition, the paper will also take up contemporary internet and Bollywood sources, which express or explore Sikh perspectives on martyrdom and sanctioned violence. The argument of the chapter is that the relationship between the theory and practice of violence is, in Sikh tradition, as elsewhere, demonstrably two-way. In this way, the chapter shows that the perception of violence within, and concerning, Sikh traditions is an important part of the larger project of theorising martyrdom and sanctioned violence in the history of religions.

Item Type:	Book Section
Date Type:	Published Online
Status:	Published
Schools:	History, Archaeology and Religion
Publisher:	Palgrave Macmillan
ISBN:	978-3-031-17803-0
Last Modified:	19 Jun 2023 11:00
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/160427

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